Roman roads came about with a strictly military purpose, although in time they were used for different objectives, including tourism. Twenty-nine roads had their starting point in Rome and spread out like a fan to link the city with the provinces of Italy and then continued towards the adjacent countries, going beyond the Alps. These roads, called consular, were in turn connected among themselves by secondary paths, called provincial.

The roads generally had a central reservation for horse-drawn carriages and higher side pavements for pedestrians. The Roman post also used them, thus ensuring that the emperor's orders reached the remotest confines of the Empire in very little time. Originally conceived for transport of concern to the state, in time these highways gave rise to organised tourism.

The high cost of mail - which the provinces had to foot - included the maintenance of buildings such as rest stations (mansiones), shelters (stationes) and stables, as well as all the personnel (workmen, drivers, vets, carpenters, stable boys, etc). The provinces were also responsible for the food and accommodation expenses of post officers. Whoever could not enjoy these state services had no alternative but to use private means. Thus a private organisation quickly grew which rented coaches and animals and that delivered private mail, in parallel to the official organisation set up to satisfy political and military needs. Guides and itineraries for travellers (tourists) were written from the earliest times.

It was usual to travel 30 km a day, with stops about every 5 km so that the travellers could quench their thirst or eat a little. At night they would stay at official or private lodgings, depending on the purpose of their journey.

The Appian Way is one of the longest and most beautiful of the Roman highways. Planned and completed during the year 312 BC by the Censor Appius Claudius, the Blind, it came to be known as the Regina Viarum (Queen of roads). To construct it, it was necessary to overcome countless obstacles, cross marshes and valleys, pass through mountains and over rivers, using the most advanced engineering techniques of the time. Paved with polygons of basalt (a dark volcanic rock), it had a width of 14 Roman feet, or a little more than 4 m, which permitted the simultaneous passage of vehicles in both directions. Furthermore, it had pavements for walking, 1.5 m wide, of compressed earth edged with stones.

Julius Caesar restored the Appian Way at his own cost. With the successive contributions of Augustus, Domitian and Vespasian, it reached its definitive length of 540 km, uniting the Imperial capital with Brindisi in the south of Italy, a crucial port for controlling the Mediterranean, and for communication with the East. The distance could be covered in thirteen or fourteen days on foot, an extraordinary speed for the time.

By this route St Paul travelled as prisoner in the year 61. His arrival is described in the New Testament, in the 'Acts of the Apostles': and thus we arrived in Rome. From there the brothers who knew of us came to meet us as far as the Appian Way and the Three Taverns. On seeing them Paul gave thanks to God and took courage. (Acts 28:14-15)